The problem pourers: Women 'drinking too much at home because they can't measure units'

Problem pourers: Women are hopeless at measuring units, according to government research

Women who drink at home are knocking back far more alcohol than they realise because they are hopeless at measuring units.

Research has found that women who pour wine often give themselves their recommended daily amount in just one glass.

They are far worse than men at judging how much wine they can safely drink, the Department of Health study found.

But men are much worse when it comes to pouring spirits – regularly giving themselves much more than a double shot.

When people were asked to pour a single 25ml shot, the average amount poured was 38ml, with the highest a staggering 182ml.

The findings demonstrate the extent to which people may have overindulged at Christmas – putting their health at risk.

Guidelines say women should drink no more than two or three units of alcohol in a day, while men should stick to three or four.

The poll of households across England, showed that women were the most lavish pourers of wine.

Experiments found that the average amount of wine poured at home is 186ml, equivalent to 2.4 units of 13 per cent volume wine.This is the recommended daily limit for women in just one glass.

The survey, carried out for the Government's Know Your Limits campaign, found that people drinking spirits at home give themselves more than double (128 per cent extra) what they would get in a pub if they ordered a single shot.

The average 'home barman' pours 57ml, compared to the 25ml in a single shot.

It means if the average English drinker knocked back eight spirit drinks over a week at home, they would be drinking nearly half a litre of vodka, gin or whisky. Almost two thirds of home barmen said they never or rarely used a drinks measure.

'Over time, such over-generosity may backfire and harm your health. If you want to minimise your risk of diseases like cancer, heart disease and stroke, it's worth paying attention to the size of your measures.

'New Year is a good time to rethink how much you drink.'

Professor Ian Gilmore, president of the Royal College of Physicians, said: 'It is worrying that people have little appreciation of how much they are drinking.

'This advice comes at a welcome time as recent data shows that three quarters of people intend to see in the New Year at home.'

Share or comment on this article:

The problem pourers: Women 'drinking too much at home because they can't measure units'